Richmond's Christmas List
December 17th 2006 21:38
AFL Insider - December 2006
Richmond's Christmas List:
Long kicking to Richardson and Riewoldt.
The Tigers seem to be very busy, ranking their players for preseason training and trying to recruit ten-year olds to train at Punt Road, but these are not things that will help then win in 2007. Their full forward knows, and their fans will be hoping, that Richmond change the way they play the game. Up the top of the list for next season is a simple wish, kick it long.
Matthew Richardson is now joined in the forward line by young Riewoldt and old Kingsley. They are two more in a long line of forwards that have been used next to Richardson. It is likely that usually only one of those two will be deep in the forward line with Richardson but whoever it is they will need the ball sent in long and fast to be effective. Richardson and Riewoldt will have aerial superiority over any two defenders in the league, but if the Tigers chip the ball around then Richardson will be competing against the flood of defenders, if the ball arrives faster then either Richardson marks, Riewoldt marks, or there is a crumb for Brown or Krakouer to sprint to.
This is probably something that should never be mentioned, the round 8 2006 game against Adelaide. But the "backwards game" that Richmond played against the Crows not only would have made the crowd and the Crows crazy but for the Richmond forwards it could not have been easy. The Bowdens, Kellaway and Raines all got into double-figures for marks that day, while the Tigers forwards had little impact. All AFL fans should write to Santa asking that they never see a game like that again.
Tigers fans will have other items on their wish list. Tambling to show he was worth taking so high in the draft, as he went before Lance Franklin that year, is something they want. Tambling is expected to be played in the midfield next season and he should be a good compliment to some of their stronger onballers. The Yellow and Black will also be hoping that Gaspar has a solid year at full back and that the addition of Polak will solidify the centre half back spot. Their fans might also be hoping that Tasman Clingan becomes a good player for them, with a name like that he has cult hero written all over him.
The Richardson era is getting closer to the end, but the Riewoldt era is just about to start, for Richmond to get maximum performance from both players next season they need to have the ball kicked long to them at every chance. The Tiger management got their wish granted when Riewoldt was still there to be picked even though they moved down a few spots in the draft, now they need to grant the wish of many fans to see the ball get kicked long to the big marking forwards that Richmond have.
http://www.aflinsider.net/richmonds-christmas-list/
